steviedeluxe

A fair swap don't you think? Brits can get better weather and a cheaper holiday abroad, whilst those coming to see the Olympics won't find the congestion as bad, and the weather will be comfortable (believe me you don't want to be using London Transport when the temperature exceeds 27C).

In some ways I wish the French had won the right to host this event, but at least it will show the world we're capable of putting on a good show.

Fredbargate

Volleyball has a score that can determine the winner.
It's the so called sports where the winner is determined by a group of jumped up egotistical woofters that I have difficulty with.
( No I don't they aren't sports)

rugbymatt

Do you not think that Dressage riders are worthy of being called athletes?

Fredbargate

Matt I'm a diver ( scuba ) am I a sportsman or athlete or what?

Dick Dasterdly

Toffee nosed twits first and foremost, .....athletes ?

jackytoo

Have you seen the prices for July/Aug in the Med

Dick Dasterdly

Sorry but you're just a diver no less,no more. .

Like to do a bit myself, but mainly of the bedtime variety.

rugbymatt

I challenge either of you to be able to do what they do. I'm no major fan of them myself but I would never assume that they are not athletes. Fred, are you a professional diver? Do you do it day in, day out, hour after hour and do you have to control over half a ton of highly strung, over bred flight animal?

Ignorance is lovely isn't it? Where do we stop? Get rid of Paralympics because its not really sport? Diving? Come on, anyone ca jump off a bit of wood in the air? How about javelin? After all its just a huge dart and who can't throw a few arrows after a pint or two?

It always makes me laugh when people whine about this sort of thing, it happened when Murray lost at Wimbledon, some of my friends on Facebook slagged him off like you wouldn't believe. One of my FB mates who slagged him off the most is at least 25 stone and has had to sit down to pee for at least the last 10 years!

Like I said, I challenge either of you to do what they do, its amazing, its sublime and this is coming from someone who HATES football because its too effeminate.
(No doubt Dick will regale us with a tale of how he has been there, done that)

jimenato

Yes I have a distrust of those activities which are judged - Skating, gymnastics of many sorts, diving - the list is long. The Olympic motto is ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ (‘Faster, Higher, Stronger’) and that should be more or less that I think.

HBG

I was thinking that with a warship parked on the Thames, a no-fly zone, missiles on top of council flats, and 11,000 troops in London, our country must be on a red security alert. A terrorist attack must be imminent, if it hasn't started already.

Pocaloca

That's very kind, thanks, but I don't have Sky, or a dish or a box, and I never watch UK TV! I'm fine with the ordinary TDT Spanish channels.

Dick Dasterdly

I'm trying to think of another Olympic event which demonstrates any less obvious signs of athleticism, other than those of the horse.

Yeh, been there got the t shirt Matt, at least as assistant to my daughter, but only because it was part of a more comprehensive event, which included show jumping and hunter trials.

I have mixed feelings about how they achieve what they do achieve, though in the latter two events it's nice when both horse and rider are keen on participating which unfortunately is not always the case.

I recall a few years back a famous German Olympic horseman being caught redhanded using some very dubious and cruel training methods.

rugbymatt

Thought you might have been....

I did type out a long reply but half way through it realised I couldn't be bothered, you will only have done it already.

Dick Dasterdly

I agree with your views on that and no doubt dressage could be included amongst them.

There have been some shocking decisions in this regard over the years which have dumbfounded many neutral expert observers.

With cheating and corruption being fairly common, I am inclined to wonder how many Olympic judges have been very happy to accept whatever bribes they were offered and will likely continue to do so.

Fredbargate

While all eyes are on London there must be some very soft targets elsewhere in the country